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Last Updated: 10 May 2023

Supplementary Placement Exercise (SPE)

2. How to apply

Eligibility criteria

Your child is eligible to participate if they:

  • Are a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident returning from living and studying overseas.
  • Do not have a place in a local school.
  • Are applying for admission to Secondary 1, 2 or 3 in the following academic year.
  • Did not sit for the SPERS-Sec test in the same year.

If your child has a secondary school place reserved under the Leave of Absence (LOA) scheme, you should email or call the school for re-admission. Your child should not participate in SPE.

Permissible age ranges

You may apply for your child to sit for the SPE tests at the level appropriate for their age cohort, based on these permissible age ranges (as at 1 Jan of the year of admission):

  • Secondary 1: 12 to 16+ years old.
  • Secondary 2: 13 to 17+ years old.
  • Secondary 3: 14 to 18+ years old.

When to apply

You can apply from Monday, 3 October to Friday, 18 November 2022.

The tests will be conducted on Tuesday, 6 December 2022.

How to apply

You can apply for SPE through the following steps:

  1. Create an account in the Candidates Portal (CP). You can start to do so from Monday, 3 October 2022. Please refer to the user guide (757KB) on account creation in CP.
  2. Upon successful account creation in CP, you may submit an online application from Monday, 3 October to Friday, 18 November 2022. You may select from the following payment modes indicated in the online application form:
    • Debit or credit card
    • PayNow
  3. You should regularly check the status of your application in CP. Upon successful submission of your application, you will see your application status reflecting "Pending". It will take at least 4 weeks from the day you register before the status will be updated to "Registered", if your document submission is in order and your child is assessed to be eligible for SPE. Incomplete submissions will result in a longer waiting time.
  4. Receive an email from the Singapore Examinations & Assessment Board (SEAB) informing you to retrieve your child's entry proof from the CP if your application is approved and payment is successful.     
All applications are subject to approval.

Enquiries on the status of your registration will not receive any replies as applicants should refer to the Remarks column in CP for updates on your application status.

You may email SEAB at SEAB_SPERS_SPE@seab.gov.sg for:
  • Updating of personal particulars (for registered applicants).
  • Technical support.
  • General queries on SPE.

How much is it

Singapore Citizens

The test fee for first application is waived. However, a $12 administrative fee is still applicable.

SPE fees for subsequent applications for Singapore Citizens is $125. SPE is not compulsory and admission to your preferred school is not guaranteed. We do not encourage you to apply for SPE more than once.

Permanent Residents

The test fee is $140.
Fees are non-refundable.
Overview
Test details